A residential centre providing shelter for children in distress.

It is situated at the heart of Dakar’s suburbs in Pikine and welcomes children from 5 to 15 years old.

For minors in distress, this is a refuge open day and night providing shelter, food, first aid, personal hygiene and nutrition.  Here, the children find moral and emotional support (listening, dialogue), recreational cultural and educational activities and games, (sports, literacy programme, learning a trade), and emergency beds when they feel in danger.

From the beginning of their stay at the centre, each child receives individual attention and participates in group activities; the goal being to stabilise them mentally and emotionally, enabling them to return to their families.  Literacy classes are also given, in order to give the child the opportunity to go to school or even to gain employment when they return home.

We do everything we can to enable these children regain their trust in adults and to be able to talk to them.  They are free to leave as soon as they are better or to stay several months; in which case, the facilitators take the opportunity to encourage the children to reconnect with their parents.  When this desire is quite strong, we minutely prepare their going home.

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